Nucleation and Growth of Membrane Protein Crystals

了解膜蛋白晶体在洗涤剂和脂类体系中的成核和生长是优化蛋白质晶体质量的关键，因此也是分辨X射线晶体测量中获得的结构的关键。该项目将研究蛋白质溶解度线附近晶体成核和生长的早期阶段，以确定蛋白质溶解度(在特定洗涤剂或介观体系中)与蛋白质晶体形成和生长之间的关系。早期实验将建立捕捉早期晶体生长的可靠协议(使用光学显微镜和SAXS/WAXS(在uhh)的组合)。使用一些模型膜蛋白(例如OmpG、OmpX)，以及该小组在之前的工作中确定的相图，将确定不同洗涤剂/脂质体系中的成核和生长速度。与萨里大学的合作者合作，我们将对这些成核和生长事件进行建模，以使它们与蛋白质相图和特定的洗涤剂/脂质系统相关联。

Understanding nucleation and growth of membrane protein crystals in detergent and lipid systems is key to optimising protein crystal quality and hence the resolution of structures obtained in X-ray crystallography measurements. This project will examine the early stages of crystal nucleation and growth near the protein solubility line to establish the relationship between protein solubility (within a specific detergent or in-meso system) and formation and growth of protein crystals. Early experiments will establish robust protocols for capturing early crystal growth (using a combination of optical microscopy and SAXS/WAXS (at UHH)). Using some model membrane proteins (e.g. OmpG, OmpX), and phase diagrams determined during previous work by the group, nucleation and growth rates in different detergent/lipid systems will be determined. Working with collaborators at the University of Surrey, we will model these nucleation and growth events to rationalise them in relation to the protein phase diagram and specific detergent/lipid systems.